Center for Labor Market Studies

Director: Andrew M. Sum, Professor of Economics

Examines a wide variety of employment, training, welfare and human resource issues, acting as an important regional and national resource for information about educational practices, employment, workers' wages, and the economic and social conditions of American families. The Center’s nine faculty and professional staff have received funding from the Business Roundtable, Heinz Foundation, Educational Testing Service, U.S. Department of Labor and the Chicago Alternative Schools Network to examine the impact of designated populations and trends on the general labor market. The Center has conducted highly publicized studies on the social and economic effects of youth unemployment; impact of the immigrant labor force on New England’s economic growth; correlation between high school drop-out rates and industry’s ability to attract a skilled labor force; reasons for the exodus of workers from New England; increasing gender disparity in earning academic degrees; and the severity of job losses nationwide. Founded in 1978.